1679 The meal-tub plot.
1683 The charter of London taken away by Charles. The Rye-house plot. Lord Russel beheaded on a charge of high treason. Algernon Sidney beheaded, for writing a libel never published, November 21st.
1684 The Buccaneers of America, about 100 in number, with the assistance of some Indians, went into the South seas, and made a bold attack on the Spaniards. Bombay, in the East-Indies, was surrendered to Sir Thomas Grantham, for the use of the East-India company.
1685 Duke of Monmouth proclaimed King at Taunton Dean, defeated at Sedgemore, taken and beheaded.
1685 Justice Jeffries and General Kirk exercise great cruelties on the adherents of Monmouth.
1686 The Newtonian philosophy published. Kirk, at Taunton, while at dinner with his officers, ordered 30 condemned persons to be hanged, namely, 10 in a health to the King, 10 to the Queen, and 10 to Jeffries; but one action the most cruel, was, a young girl throwing herself at his feet to beg her father’s life, he made her prostitute herself to him, with a promise of granting her request; but having satisfied his lustful desire, was so inhuman as out of the window to show the poor unfortunate girl her father hanging on a sign-post: the spectacle so affected her, that she went distracted. The King encamped 15,000 men on Hounslow heath.
1688 Seven bishops committed to the Tower for not countenancing popery. The city of London lent the Prince of Orange £20,000, January 10. The parliament declared James’s abdication. James escorted to Rochester by a Dutch guard, and sailed to France. James landed in Ireland with an army, and assembled a parliament. Brass money coined by James in Ireland. Bill of rights passed. Every hearth or chimney paid two shillings per annum. King William and Queen Mary crowned at Westminster, April 11. The Hanover succession first proposed, May 31.
1690 The battle of the Boyne in Ireland, where James was finally defeated by William, and obliged to embark for France, July 1.
1691 William III took his seat as Stadtholder in Holland. The Queen issues out her royal proclamation for the more reverend observing the Sabbath day, and against profane cursing and swearing. A terrible battle between the Imperialists and Turks, near Salenkemen, in the principality of Sclavonia: in which the Imperialists had about 7,000 killed and wounded, and a great many good officers; but the Turks lost 18,000 men, and almost all their officers killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. Five captains of Admiral Benbow’s squadron in the West-Indies, were tried on board the Breda, at Port-Royal, in Jamaica, for cowardice and breach of orders, in an engagement with Ducasse. The Irish defeated at the battle of Aughrim, in Ireland.
1692 The French fleet destroyed at La Hogue and other places by Admiral Russell. A terrible earthquake in the island of Jamaica in the West-Indies, which almost entirely ruined the town of Port-Royal, the best of all the English plantations.